Nigerian Court strikes out suit against Oba of Benin

                                 

The Court of Appeal sitting in Benin City, presided over by Justice Olukayode Bada, has upheld the Appeal filed against Chief Rich Arisco Osemwengie and others by the Edo State Government, the Benin Traditional Council, BTC, and others, following alleged attempt by Chief Osemwengie and others to usurp the powers and ridicule the stool of the Oba of Benin.

The appellate court said the High Court in Benin which earlier ruled in favour of Chief Osemwengie and others who were challenging the validity of the Traditional Rulers and Chieftaincy Edit of 1979, erred because the suit filed “by Osemwengie and others against the governor of Edo State and the BTC at the High Court Benin City is status barred and does not disclose the reasonable cause of action.” It will be recalled that Chief Osemnwengie and others were earlier charged by the Edo State Government at the Oredo Magistrate Court for allegedly waging communal war and installing a traditional ruler without lawful authority as prohibited by the Traditional Rulers and chieftaincy edit of 1979 of the then Bendel State, as applicable to Edo State.

Source: Vanguard Ngr